Progress: September 5, 2010

Now that I have completed the fieldwork for Tongue Rug — it was inconceivable to be able to document all of the waypoints by bicycle — I am free to simply explore the Montreal Island and its vicinities while I work on other aspects of the project. I stumbled across a nicely detailed map for The West Island Heritage Bicycle Trail while researching Legault placenames; four houses on the island can be traced to the Legault dit Deslauriers family.

 

View Historic Legault houses in a larger map

 

As it was a brisk fall day, I decided to venture out on a scenic ride to Pierrefonds. There was a dilemma however. If I were able to cycle north-west as the crow flies from the Lachine canal, it would have been a relatively short route. Unfortunately, the north-south cycling paths on the island leave much to be desired. I had to go east then north using the Christophe-Colomb route, then west again to reach my waypoint. The return trip ending up being a 70 km ride. Though there is surely another way to get there, I admit that the bike path is a safer alternative. Plus, it was a glorious day for cycling with a bright sun and a cool breeze. Everyone seemed to be out on the trails.

The ride to Pierrefonds was also worth the ride considering the varied architecture found on Boulevard Gouin and the ride through the Parc-Nature-du-Bois-de-Saraguay, home to many species of rare trees such as black maple (érable noir or Acer nigrum), swamp white ash (frêne blanc or Fraxinus Americana) and common hackberry (micocoulier occidental or Celtis occidentalis). Will have to return on a day trip to visit this park.

 

 

The Maison Legault dit Deslauriers overlooked a small park facing the Rivière-des-Prairies. The West Island Heritage Bicycle Trail had erected a small panel that listed the year of construction as 1789. The fieldstone farmhouse was inhabited by Legault family members and passed from generation to generation. The architecture adapts elements from the Québécois style (1760-1880) such as end-wall chimneys on opposite sides of the roof, commonly called “cheminées en chicane”. In 1908, it was transformed into a fashionable teahouse called “ Thé Habitant” by Mary Whitney Blaylock; the Duke of Kent was a visitor in 1930. It has since been a restaurant and a private home.

What was once known as the Lower Saraguay had changed considerably since the 18th century. Still, I could imagine a more rural habitat with meadows interspersed among the fieldstone farmhouses.

 

View Larger Map

 

I noticed a new function with alternative transport choices — public transport, cycling or walking — in Google Maps when I went to retrace my path. Now I can include one-way streets with cycling lanes in my routes. However, for this map the cycling option did not function. I used a beta version of the walking directions. Six and a half hours to walk that distance; four hours return on two wheels at a steady pace. How long would it have taken on horseback just a few centuries ago?